Multiple 8300HD's in same cabinet

[Steely]

I currently have my 8300HD and a Sony DVD changer hooked up to a Video Storm 4x2 matrix switch which feeds 2 HDTV's.  The components are being housed in a cabinet in my basement and are being controlled by a Xantech infrared system.  I would like to add a second 8300HD DVR to the cabinet, but I don't know how to configure the infrared for the second 8300 so they don't conflict with each other.  I know that Tivo's had a way to change the infrared codes so that you could have multiple Tivo's in the same room, but I'm not aware of a setting on the 8300.

Has anyone done this?

[Mark Strube]

I highly doubt you'd be able to switch an 8300HD to use different codes... TWC is very proprietary about that. 8300HD remotes work with ALL of their digital boxes.

There's a chance I could be wrong, but I would start looking for another solution. Is the reason for 2 boxes more storage, or recording more programs at the same time?

[Gregg Lengling]

We fixed this problem at a store I used to work at that had 3 boxes stacked.  We used IR extenders that had little emitters that you taped onto the front of the box by the IR receiver.  We then placed the extenders in the show room in different locations that we could point the remote at the extender we wanted to use.

[Mark Strube]

Come to think of it I've seen that setup Gregg's talking about on a theater install Flanners did for an apartment complex's club house... that might be your solution! Although I think they used a single receiver, that then went out to multiple sticky transmitters.

[Steely]

I use a single receiver in each of my rooms, either a J-Box (decora style) receiver or a cabinet mount eye receiver.  These then feed the Xantech connecting block in the basement which then routes the signals to each component using the stick on emitters that you are talking about.  The problem is that the same signal will always be sent to all of my components and the only thing keeping them from getting confused is the fact that they use different IR codes.

The main reason for wanting a second DVR is to record shows for my 3-year old when she wants to watch them in the bedroom.  I would also use it for recording some sporting events that I would be watching at either TV, that is why I wanted to add it to my matrix switch.  Each of my TV's can independently choose from any of the four sources that the switch is distributing.

I guess I might have to look for another solution.  Too bad Series 3 Tivos are so expensive.

Thanks for the suggestions.